Chapter 1: The Evolution of Ring

Do you recall when Ring initially launched its video doorbells about six or seven years ago? This was during the time when the small startup made waves on Shark Tank but hadn’t yet been acquired by Amazon. Since then, Ring has expanded its offerings dramatically, now featuring standalone security cameras, driveway lights, car alarms, comprehensive security systems, smoke detectors, and mailbox sensors.

I was among the early supporters of Ring, as it seemed like a timely innovation. Amidst a surge of increasingly practical smart-home devices, the Ring doorbell redefined a traditional technology (the standard doorbell) by adding valuable features. For example, users could monitor package deliveries, receive motion alerts, and connect with smartphones to access live video feeds from their front door.

Despite the clever design and ease of installation of Ring's hardware (I also own the Pathlights, which function well), I’ve encountered significant issues with their software. The Ring app has become bloated as a result of integrating various product lines. It’s now cumbersome to navigate due to the multitude of menus and options, which is frustrating since these products were intended to be user-friendly. Recently, journalist Adrienne Samuels Gibbs highlighted in Debugger how she had to hire an electrician to hardwire her Ring setup, only to discover that the software installation was incomplete, requiring another professional visit.

If you believe technology companies should refrain from aiding law enforcement in enforcing laws or pursuing suspects, you might have been taken aback by the revelation a year and a half ago that Amazon and Ring were collaborating with around 400 law enforcement agencies to share doorbell footage in the fight against crime. This news sparked concern and some protests, yet it did little to hinder Ring's device sales or Amazon's intentions to integrate facial recognition technology into their offerings.

However, I believe Ring's true misstep lies in its relentless push to create a social network aimed at homeowners, ostensibly to help one another in safeguarding their neighborhoods. This initiative has increasingly resembled a version of Nextdoor, where overly inquisitive neighbors spend their time online. The concept of a nationwide neighborhood watch powered by Amazon products to monitor thefts of Amazon packages is undeniably clever but raises ethical questions. I pay about $3 monthly for access to archived videos recorded by my doorbell, but the user-generated alerts that I receive are largely ineffective.

The neighborhood features of Ring have gained enough traction that the company launched a separate app for iOS and Android called Neighbors by Ring. This app includes community resources and curated news, such as updates on Covid-19 vaccinations. Unfortunately, it largely replicates the same unhelpful posts and blurry videos that plagued the original Ring app.

When ordinary individuals are tasked with determining what constitutes suspicious behavior or potential criminal activity, the outcomes can be troubling. Untrained in surveillance or criminal justice, these individuals often unfairly suspect people of color or teenagers as threats, even without any substantial evidence.

One alert titled "Unexpected Activity" featured a video of a man casually walking up a driveway only to leave when lights illuminated. While it may seem suspicious, it hardly constitutes a crime. In another instance, a post described a "young man who appeared drunk" taking pictures on a porch, which the video confirmed, yet he posed no real danger. Similarly, a video of a man peeking into a parked car was flagged as concerning despite not showcasing any actual criminal behavior, to which a commenter noted, "Kids commit a lot of crimes."

Some notifications in my app might seem informative, like "There are reports of a fire..." near my area. However, the information is often outdated, such as a fire reported on February 27 still appearing in the app on March 29. The previously mentioned drunken incident was also still highlighted over a month after it occurred.

While the Neighbors app could be beneficial during emergencies—like when my community faced a severe freeze that claimed many lives in Texas—the majority of its use is less constructive. Ring users shared essential updates about power outages, burst pipes, and even requests for basic groceries, receiving various supportive responses.

Despite many Ring doorbells likely being inoperative due to outages, community members utilized the app effectively to connect and assist one another during a crisis.

Nonetheless, this isn’t the usual function of Neighbors. Instead, it often becomes a platform for individuals lacking expertise to comment on non-criminal activities, fostering paranoia and misinformation within our community. Ring appears uninterested in moderating or curating community alerts, a task that may be overwhelming even for a company as large as Amazon. Without more oversight, this social network risks devolving into a hub for busybodies disseminating unverified information.

Chapter 2: The Impact of User-Generated Content

In this video, "How Neighborhood Apps Make Us Worse Neighbors," the implications of apps like Neighbors by Ring are discussed, shedding light on how they can exacerbate community issues and foster distrust among neighbors.

Chapter 3: Understanding the Neighbors App

"What You NEED to Know About the Neighbors App by Ring" explains the app's features, benefits, and the potential pitfalls of relying on community-generated alerts for safety.